Milk carton with drinking straw



Jan. 1, 1963 w. A. PUGH 3,071,303

MILK CARTON WITH DRINKING STRAW Filed Oct. 28, 1959 William A. Pugh INVENTOR.

9 BY M406- W MW IQQ 3,071,303 MILK CARTQN WITH DRINKKNG STRAW William A. Pugh, 5200 E. Harper Ave, Chicago, Ill. Filed Oct. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 849,334 Claims. (CI. 229-7) The present invention generally relates to novel and improved structural arrangements in beverage containers such as those normally employed for milk, fruit juices, carbonated beverages and the like. i

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a container having incorporated into its construction a straw which is normally distorted from its straight line condition to a bent condition so that the straw will be completely enclosed within the interior of the container while the container is in sealed condition but which will immediately pop out to a straight line condition for immedate consumption of the liquid in the container when the container is opened in the usual manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container in combination with a straw of resilient nature as set forth in the preceding object in which the openable top portion of the container is provided with means on the undersurface thereof for receiving the straw and for moving the straw to its straight line condition and otherwise facilitating the orientation of the straw while the contents are being consumed through the straw in the usual manner.

Another important feature of the present invention is to provide a container construction which is quite simple in construction and requiring very little modification to include the straw with the straw being inserted with a suitable type of straw dropping apparatus with the container being closed and sealed in the usual manner.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a container and straw combination in which the openable portion of the lid of the container includes a flexible strap slidably and loosely receiving and retaining the straw in position and which is easy to use, effective for its particular purposes and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container construction incorporating the straw therein;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the structural details of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View similar to FIGURE 2 but with the container closed and the straw disposed within the container;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental plan view illustrating the manner in which the straw engaging loop is attached to the lid of the container in sealed condition;

FIGURE 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating a similar form of invention incorporated into a cylindrical container; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view illustrating a similar form of the invention incorporated into a plug-type closure for the container.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the numeral 40 designates the present invention in which the container is conventional in external configuration and is provided with a top 42 having a closure lid 44 thereon foldable about a hinge line 46 and severable along a line 48. The portion of the closure lid 44- which engages the wall of the receptacle is provided with a seal of metallic foil 50 or the like which is of conventional structure as far as described to this point.

In this invention, a straw 52 is inserted through a loop or saddle 54 formed by a strip of metallic foil or other similar material which has the ends thereof designated by the numeral 56 extending between the sealing metallic foil 51) or any other suitable means to provide a seal with the closure lid 44 thereby attaching the loop or saddle 54 to the pivotal closure lid 44 for elevating and guiding the movement of the straw 52 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the position shown in FIGURE 2 wherein the straw 52 is ready for use and will be held in this position so that the material may be consumed from within the container without the necessity of using both hands, one to hold the container and the other to hold the straw.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a similar form of the invention in conjunction with a cylindrical container generally designated by the numeral 58 in which the top 60 is provided with an openable lid 62 foldable along the diameter thereof with the openable lid 62 also having a sealing foil 64 about the periphery thereof. The closure lid 62 is provided with a saddle or loop in the form of a flexible strip or tape 66 extending diametrically of the lid 62 and extending under the sealing foil 64. The flexible plastic straw 68 is inserted through the loop 66 and will be elevated in the same manner as the device in FIGURES 1-3.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a similar form of the present invention in which the container is designated by the numeral 7t) and includes a top 72 with an openable plug type closure 74 for the opening 76 therein. The plug type closure 74 is provided with a transverse tape or strap '78 forming a loop for receiving the straw 80. The ends of the loop or strap 78 are attached -to the side walls of the plug 74 and extend under and are retained by a retaining and sealing strip 82 which may be constructed of metallic foil or the like.

Each form of the invention includes in its construction a means attached to the openable lid which receives the straw therethrough and which will pull the straw to a straight line condition and guide and retain the straw in this position during consumption of the products by using the straw in the usual manner. The various materials from which the forms of the invention are constructed may be varied as desired depending upon the cost, dependability and other factors. Each form of the invention is inexpensive to manufacture thus rendering the device economically feasible.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A consumable liquid container including a top wall, an openable closure lid forming a portion of the top wall and sealingly and releasably connected to the upper end of the container for enabling opening of the closure lid by lifting the free edge thereof upwardly, a bendable resilient straw disposed within the container and being completely free of the container, said straw being movable from a bent condition disposed within the confines of the container to a straight line diagonal condition with one end thereof projecting from the opening in the top wall of the container formed when the closure lid is pivoted upwardly thereby enabling the contents of the container to be consumed through the straw, and means carried by said closure lid loosely engaging the straw for Q u moving the straw towards a straight line condition during pivotal opening movement of the closure lid and for guiding and retaining the straw in its straight line condition during use thereby retaining the straw in position without requiring the use of a persons hand to hold the straw, said means including a flexible strap extending across the bottom surface of the closure lid and forming a loop receiving the upper end portion of the straw, the ends of said strap being connected with the edges of the closure lid, said closure lid being provided with a sealing means around the periphery thereof which engages the top of the container, the ends of said strap being received between the means and the side edges of the closure lid. 2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure lid is semi-circular in configuration and the strap extends parallel to the diametrical fold line.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure lid is of the plug type with the strap extending diametrically thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,244 Lynch Sept. 28, 1948 2,547,362 Berry Apr. 3, 1951 2,792,166 Brooks May 14, 1957 2,838,220 Oppenheimer et a1. June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,569 Canada Apr. 25, 1950 

1. A CONSUMABLE LIQUID CONTAINER INCLUDING A TOP WALL, AN OPENABLE CLOSURE LID FORMING A PORTION OF THE TOP WALL AND SEALINGLY AND RELEASABLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF THE CONTAINER FOR ENABLING OPENING OF THE CLOSURE LID BY LIFTING THE FREE EDGE THEREOF UPWARDLY, A BENDABLE RESILIENT STRAW DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONTAINER AND BEING COMPLETELY FREE OF THE CONTAINER, SAID STRAW BEING MOVABLE FROM A BENT CONDITION DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CONTAINER TO A STRAIGHT LINE DIAGONAL CONDITION WITH ONE END THEREOF PROJECTING FROM THE OPENING IN THE TOP WALL OF THE CONTAINER FORMED WHEN THE CLOSURE LID IS PIVOTED UPWARDLY THEREBY ENABLING THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER TO BE CONSUMED THROUGH THE STRAW, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CLOSURE LID LOOSELY ENGAGING THE STRAW FOR MOVING THE STRAW TOWARDS A STRAIGHT LINE CONDITION DURING PIVOTAL OPENING MOVEMENT OF THE CLOSURE LID AND FOR GUIDING AND RETAINING THE STRAW IN ITS STRAIGHT LINE CONDITION DURING USE THEREBY RETAINING THE STRAW IN POSITION WITHOUT REQUIRING THE USE OF A PERSON''S HAND TO HOLD THE STRAW, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE STRAP EXTENDING ACROSS THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE CLOSURE LID AND FORMING A LOOP RECEIVING THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE STRAW, THE ENDS OF SAID STRAP BEING CONNECTED WITH THE EDGES OF THE CLOSURE LID, SAID CLOSURE LID BEING PROVIDED WITH A SEALING MEANS AROUND THE PERIPHERY THEREOF WHICH ENGAGES THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER, THE ENDS OF SAID STRAP BEING RECEIVED BETWEEN THE MEANS AND THE SIDE EDGES OF THE CLOSURE LID. 